The baseball season is commonly described as a marathon. However by the point it is lastly over, I am at all times just a little bit shocked that we’re on the finish. Within the second, it appears to take ceaselessly; as soon as it is over, you are like, “Wait, was that it?”
There is a metaphor for all times right here, as with so many issues in baseball.
For a few of us, the season may have been longer — the Mets positive would have favored an additional day to attempt to get yet another likelihood on the playoffs, although with how badly they collapsed, I am undecided an additional day would have actually modified this. For others, the top of the season is a welcomed, momentary respite — your loved one Fantasy Baseball At present crew may use a time off or two dozen on the finish of the season.
I hope we have been in a position that can assist you take house the title this season. That is what we do all this for, in any case. I got here shut in our Roto Wage Cap league, with my staff’s batting common points and low-end win totals being an excessive amount of to beat as I got here up 4 factors wanting the title. These are the hardest particular person classes to undertaking, and will be among the many hardest to make up floor in when you fall behind. I received enormous performances from the likes of Cal Raleigh and Eugenio Suarez, Steven Kwan, and Luis Arraez’s comparatively uninspiring performances held me again in common, and getting solely 23 mixed wins from George Kirby and Tarik Skubal was arduous to beat.
It occurs, and we transfer on. To 2026, the truth is — although I am nonetheless not truly used to typing “2026” simply but, and certain will not be for one more, oh, three months. And that is what we’re doing immediately, with my first tough draft spherical of rankings. These are topic to alter, and certain will as soon as I begin to get suggestions on them, so if you happen to see one thing you disagree with, or one thing that simply does not look proper, ship me an electronic mail at [email protected] along with your questions or feedback. It’s going to assist me refine my ideas over the following few months earlier than we actually begin to lock in rankings early subsequent yr. It is an ongoing course of, however that is the place my baseline is beginning.
Scott White has already begun the method of rating 2026 as effectively, relating catcher, first base, and third base right here, and he goes deeper on every place and offers his ideas on every participant, so you need to be certain to test that out. I am not going as deep but, although if you would like my ideas on the state of every place and the hardest gamers to rank, you’ll be able to take a look at these articles beneath:
And I will be right here all offseason lengthy, whether or not you are on the brink of make some strikes in your Dynasty league or simply getting a head begin on the competitors for 2026, the FBT Publication and podcast can be right here to assist all offseason.
Now, let’s get to these way-too-early rankings:
Manner-too-early 2026 Rankings
We’re six months out from the beginning of subsequent season, so do not maintain me to any of those. There’s plenty of offseason left and plenty of analysis to do between now and subsequent February when draft season actually begins to kick off — and, after all, there can be trades and free company strikes that may shake issues up. Over the following few weeks, I will be having a look on the state of every place heading into the offseason, and issues will certainly change even between from time to time. So, whereas I stand by these rankings for now, take into account just about all of them to be comparatively weakly held positions. I reserve the correct to alter my thoughts!
One different factor so as to add is, as at all times, we’ll have a number of gamers shedding place eligibility. There are a number of fantasy-relevant names at catcher who will open subsequent season as DH/Util-only gamers in Fantasy, which I’ve highlighted beneath. However earlier than we get to that, these are among the names you will not discover on the rankings lists beneath: Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Christian Yelich, Yordan Alvarez, and Marcell Ozuna. Ozuna goes to be fairly fringy it doesn’t matter what as he enters free company, however Ohtani, Schwarber, Yelich, and Alvarez may all be early-round picks.
Ohtani goes to be the No. 2 decide in most leagues, irrespective of the place he is eligible, however Schwarber, Yelich, and Alvarez would possibly all fairly be discounted by a spherical or so as a result of they will not have any eligibility past that DH spot. Schwarber may find yourself signing someplace the place he’ll be requested to play first base or the outfield extra typically, however Yelich and Alvarez appear more likely to be kind of full-time designated hitters subsequent season. You need not low cost any of them an excessive amount of, however you do should hold that in thoughts.
Catcher
We’re often stretching to give you 12 catchers we like. This yr, we’re leaving names like Adley Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, Francisco Alvarez, Alejandro Kirk, and JT Realmuto (amongst others!) out of the highest 12. Attrition is at all times excessive at catcher, so it will not find yourself fairly as robust as we count on as soon as the video games truly begin. However then there’s this: Ivan Herrera, Moises Ballesteros, and Carter Jensen ought to achieve catcher eligibility pretty early subsequent season and can solely strengthen the place. Herrera, particularly, would in all probability be a top-six participant if he certified there.
- Cal Raleigh
- William Contreras
- Hunter Goodman
- Shea Langeliers
- Will Smith
- Ben Rice
- Salvador Perez
- Agustin Ramirez
- Yainer Diaz
- Drake Baldwin
- Kyle Teel
- Gabriel Moreno
First base
I waffled on the No. 1 spot, however in the end went with who I believe the consensus will coalesce round. It is a top-heavy place, however the names after these first two are all sufficiently old or have sufficient questions which you can put them in mainly any order you need. There is a bit extra depth than lately due to the emergence of names like Spencer Torkelson, Michael Busch, and Kyle Manzardo, but when these older guys on the high take a step again, it may look fairly weak fairly rapidly.
(By the way in which, I eliminated Ben Rice and Salvador Perez right here to offer a greater sense of the particular energy of the place, because you’re virtually definitely going to make use of them as catchers.)
- Nick Kurtz
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- Pete Alonso
- Bryce Harper
- Rafael Devers
- Matt Olson
- Freddie Freeman
- Josh Naylor
- Vinnie Pasquantino
- Tyler Soderstrom
- Yandy Diaz
- Spencer Torkelson
Second base
In factors, you’ll be able to slot Marte forward of Chisholm. It is a place the place you’d actually prefer to see a few of these younger guys really emerge in 2026 – Luke Keaschall and Jackson Holliday had their flashes, however neither is precisely confirmed. However Keaschall is one identify I believe may find yourself transferring up fairly a bit between now and the spring if sufficient individuals purchase into the small-sample-size breakout. I’ve little or no confidence in Semien as my No. 12 alternative, and if you happen to wished to go together with somebody like Gleyber Torres or Xavier Edwards, I would not actually argue with you. Although neither has a lot upside, so I’d even take into account going again to the Matt McLain effectively, as dangerous as he is been. The purpose is, if you happen to wait at second base, you in all probability will not be very joyful.
- Jazz Chisholm
- Ketel Marte
- Brice Turang
- Nico Hoerner
- Brandon Lowe
- Jose Altuve
- Luke Keaschall
- Ozzie Albies
- Bryson Stott
- Jackson Holliday
- Jorge Polanco
- Marcus Semien
Third base
On the entire, I believe third base is a bit stronger than second, nevertheless it’s fairly weak general. Bregman and Suarez are each possible heading into free company (Bregman has a participant possibility), and the uncertainty inherent in that makes each robust to rank. Riley hasn’t appeared like a distinction maker in a few years, and guys like Marte and Westburg have not fairly confirmed they will take that subsequent step – although there’s lots to love about each. One participant I am frightened I’ve ranked too low: Paredes, who proved to be as good a match for Houston’s quick left-field porch as we hoped earlier than a hamstring damage derailed his season. He may have had 30-plus homers pretty simply with out the damage, although the counting stats have been weirdly disappointing, which holds him again right here.
- Jose Ramirez
- Jazz Chisholm
- Junior Caminero
- Manny Machado
- Alex Bregman
- Eugenio Suarez
- Austin Riley
- Jordan Westburg
- Maikel Garcia
- Noelvi Marte
- Isaac Paredes
- Max Muncy
Shortstop
We’re betting on enchancment from Henderson and De La Cruz coming off bizarre, injury-disrupted seasons. The largest query for me is the place Perdomo finally ends up. I believe you can also make a powerful case for him belonging within the tier with Betts, however I would not be stunned if the consensus has him close to and even exterior of the top-12 by the point drafts begin. Although he is been the No. 3 participant on the place, he has the underlying stats to again it up and has gotten higher because the season has gone on. If the consensus finally ends up mistaken about Perdomo and his 2025 was actual, he’ll be among the finest values within the league once more.
- Bobby Witt
- Elly De La Cruz
- Francisco Lindor
- Gunnar Henderson
- Trea Turner
- Mookie Betts
- Geraldo Perdomo
- Corey Seager
- C.J. Abrams
- Zachary Neto
- Trevor Story
- Bo Bichette
Outfield
Outfield definitely appears to be in higher form than it was this time final season, although there are nonetheless loads of query marks even inside this high 36. I am frightened I will be out of step with the consensus on Merrill among the many higher-end choices, however I am nonetheless keen to guess on a gifted younger participant together with his bodily instruments, particularly once you bear in mind he handled concussion, hamstring, and ankle accidents this season. One other participant I’ve completely no concept what to do with: Oneil Cruz, who I gave a perfunctory top-36 rating to on the energy of his 20 homers and 38 steals, however his .200 batting common and paltry counting stats in any other case make him an particularly robust match on plenty of Fantasy rosters. I could also be overrating him right here.
- Aaron Choose
- Juan Soto
- Ronald Acuna Jr.
- Corbin Carroll
- Julio Rodriguez
- Fernando Tatis Jr.
- Kyle Tucker
- Jackson Chourio
- Yordan Alvarez
- Pete Crow-Armstrong
- Cody Bellinger
- James Wooden
- Jackson Merrill
- Riley Greene
- Roman Anthony
- Brent Rooker
- Seiya Suzuki
- Randy Arozarena
- Wyatt Langford
- Kyle Stowers
- Jarren Duran
- George Springer
- Michael Harris
- Byron Buxton
- Teoscar Hernandez
- Hunter Goodman
- Jose Altuve
- Jurickson Profar
- Chandler Simpson
- Brandon Nimmo
- Tyler Soderstrom
- Jakob Marsee
- Taylor Ward
- Trent Grisham
- Mike Trout
- Oneil Cruz
Beginning pitcher
Beginning pitcher is the place that’s most as much as private interpretation. And, actually, it comes all the way down to your private danger tolerance stage. For some individuals, there is no rating you would give somebody like Hunter Greene that might be low sufficient, given his damage historical past; however you then have a look at the worth the risk-tolerant have been in a position to get out of Garrett Crochet or Jacob deGrom this season, and it begins to make sense. For me, the precise rankings at SP are much less necessary than discovering the correct tiers to take your photographs at. There are some fairly huge tiers, beginning with the second, between SP4 and SP14 or so. You may put these 11 in virtually any order, and also you would not actually get a powerful disagreement from me. And I will in all probability hold tinkering with the ordering there for a very long time.
- Tarik Skubal
- Garrett Crochet
- Paul Skenes
- Chris Sale
- Logan Gilbert
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Cristopher Sanchez
- Hunter Brown
- Bryan Woo
- Hunter Greene
- Jacob deGrom
- Spencer Schwellenbach
- Max Fried
- Cole Ragans
- Joe Ryan
- George Kirby
- Logan Webb
- Freddy Peralta
- Nick Pivetta
- Carlos Rodon
- Blake Snell
- Shohei Ohtani
- Tyler Glasnow
- Nathan Eovaldi
- Ranger Suarez
- Jesus Luzardo
- Framber Valdez
- Pablo Lopez
- Dylan Stop
- Kyle Bradish
- Robbie Ray
- Kevin Gausman
- Shane Bieber
- Chase Burns
- Sandy Alcantara
- Eury Perez
- Trevor Rogers
- Shota Imanaga
- Brandon Woodruff
- Spencer Strider
- Emmet Sheehan
- Zack Wheeler
- Gavin Williams
- Nolan McLean
- Jacob Misiorowski
- Matthew Boyd
- Nick Lodolo
- Kris Bubic
Reduction pitcher
Man, I dunno. The high-end closers in 2025 have been a catastrophe, with three of the primary 5 drafted now not even closing by the top of the season. We do not know what Emmanuel Clase’s standing can be, however at this level, I am not anticipating him to be eligible to pitch amid MLB‘s ongoing playing investigation. There’s an opportunity Devin Williams finally ends up again in a more in-depth function someplace, however he has to show himself after 2025. I am assuming Mason Miller may have some form of worth, whether or not that is as a result of the Padres transfer on from Robert Suarez and provides him the nearer job, or in the event that they let him begin. Given the state of the place, retaining Suarez and letting Miller attempt to begin would in all probability be the perfect state of affairs, even when it introduces plenty of danger for Miller particularly. However this notoriously shaky place feels additional unstable heading into the offseason.
- Edwin Diaz
- Josh Hader
- Andres Munoz
- Jhoan Duran
- Aroldis Chapman
- Mason Miller
- Cade Smith
- Raisel Iglesias
- Robert Suarez
- Pete Fairbanks
- Trevor Megill
- Carlos Estevez
